§ *MR. BAINBRIDGEI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that it is difficult to abstract information from the 200 pages of the Annual Accounts of the Ordnance Factories, he can arrange, for the year 1899-1900, to have added to the Report an abstract of the number and cost of the guns and other war material which have been manufactured or passed through the factories in a completed state.
§ *SIR CHARLES DILKE () Gloucestershire, Forest of DeanBefore the hon. Gentleman answers this question, may I ask if he has seen the question of which I sent notice to the Under Secretary for War—namely, whether the Admiralty object to the re-publication of the war material figures asked for by the hon. Member, and which were published a few years ago?
*MR. J. POWELL-WILLIAMSI have no information on that point. To prepare such a statement would add very much to the labour and cost of preparing the account—over 300 men are constantly employed on the work already. If the hon. Member requires information upon any specific point, I will do my best to obtain it for him.
§ *Mr. BAINBRIDGEWould it not be possible to have the Report published in less time than eleven months after the end of the year to which it refers?